"Teacher's Most Despised Directives: Unpopular School Rules"
In the small town of Oregon, Illinois, a heated debate has arisen over the implementation of zero-tolerance policies in schools. At the centre of this controversy is Ryan Huels, an elementary school principal, who believes that educators should be treated as professionals and allowed the freedom to dress appropriately for their job.
Huels finds it degrading and disrespectful when administrators dictate what professionals in the field of education wear to work and charge money for staff to wear preferred clothing. He argues that educators should be trusted to make decisions that best suit their teaching environment and the needs of their students.
Meanwhile, Cecelia Gillam, an author and educator, was written up for continuing to use a lesson-classification system in her classroom. Gillam, who had been a part of the school and community for 18 years, was ordered to remove the system from her lessons, LMS, and speech in the classroom, without an explanation. This directive highlighted the issue of social capital and socioeconomic status causing a divide in education.
Gillam's lesson-classification system included "must-do", "should-do", and "aspire-to-do", helping students understand the importance and depth of assignments. She conducted a case study on two special education students using this system, and both students showed great academic growth in science.
On the other hand, zero-tolerance policies have been implemented in some schools for specific reasons, such as preventing gang affiliations. However, these policies can be difficult to manage and create tension between teachers, administration, and parents. Zero-tolerance policies can lead to harsh punitive measures such as suspension or expulsion, which may not help students learn from their mistakes.
Amber Chandler, an education author and blogger, argues against the rule of averaging grades for retakes. Chandler suggests that retakes should reflect current levels of expertise and that tools like Kahoot, Blooket, and slideshow reviews can be used to help students study and remediate their knowledge.
Restorative practices provide opportunities for students who have done harm to take responsibility and act in repairing the harm they have done. This is a valuable trait for students to learn, offering a better alternative to zero-tolerance policies. Restorative-justice practices acknowledge that everyone makes mistakes and require accountability and responsibility from those who have done harm.
The worst directive Rainer experienced as a schoolteacher involved a ministerial demand for extensive individual feedback conversations in secondary school minor subjects, which would have consumed all teaching time, making regular classes and testing impossible. This was a poor directive because it ignored practical classroom realities and teacher workload.
In conclusion, the debate over zero-tolerance policies and the implementation of restorative practices in schools is an ongoing one. Educators like Ryan Huels and Cecelia Gillam are advocating for a shift towards treating teachers as professionals and allowing them the freedom to make decisions that best suit their teaching environment and the needs of their students. Restorative practices offer a better alternative to zero-tolerance policies, fostering accountability, responsibility, and a more equitable learning environment for all students.
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